Reimagining Us

In this episode, Nichole and Scott begin with a startling figure from Amanda Ripley’s book, Unthinkable: 90 percent of counties in the U. S. were declared federal disaster zones over a 10 year period from 2011 to 2021. These disasters, which  largely represented extreme weather, are here to stay – how can our local communities become resilient? International research says the most important factor is strong, pre-existing relationships across differences. So what state are our communities in today, and how can we strengthen them?   Nichole and Scott first welcome Dr. Seth Kaplan, author of Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time.  Seth discusses how local relationships and institutions—once the backbone of communities—have eroded over the past 50 years. The resulting disconnection has left many neighborhoods without the trust, engagement, and collaboration needed to thrive, much less tackle modern challenges. To rebuild, Seth emphasizes how hyper-local efforts can collectively lead to broader societal change. He says, “Every journey starts with the first step—take it.” In the second half of the episode, Nichole and Scott are joined by Dr. John Paul Lederach, a renowned peacebuilding expert. They ask a question that has come up more frequently in recent years: Is the country heading towards civil war, e.g., are our communities more susceptible to political violence? John Paul suggests that while the United States is not likely heading toward a traditional civil war, localized violence fueled by fear and survivalist mindsets could escalate. To counter this, John Paul emphasizes the need to address community divides through relationships. Both Seth and John Paul believe we can turn the tide by starting small and local, focusing on rebuilding trust through interpersonal relationships and collaborative action. They emphasize the importance of intentionality, courage, and persistence, encouraging individuals to take incremental yet impactful steps toward creating resilient and inclusive communities. Whether it’s hosting a block party or engaging in sustained dialogue, the overarching goal is to create relational connections that can withstand challenges and foster unity amidst diversity. CALL TO ACTION: Individuals can:  Build Local Connections. Introduce yourself to your neighbors, or host community meals, block parties, or other informal gatherings.  Reach Across Divides. Take intentional steps to connect with people outside your immediate social or ideological circles. Begin by having conversations to understand their perspectives and experiences. Collaborate with a few like-minded individuals to start neighborhood-focused activities, like book clubs or community improvement projects. Work with local organizations, governments, or schools to promote spaces and activities that encourage social interaction and community bonding. Commit to Sustained Dialogue. Engage in ongoing conversations even when they are challenging. Building trust and understanding is a long-term process that requires persistence and openness. Municipalities and Community Foundations can: Create initiatives that prioritize building relationships as a central goal. Offer small grants to encourage small-scale, hyper-local collaboration, such as neighbors working together to improve streets or parks.  Scale these efforts neighborhood by neighborhood, strengthening bonds within and across communities to ensure sustainable progress. Create and monitor metrics to assess neighborhood health, such as levels of trust, social mobility, and relational dynamics. Create an “Office of social connection” or an “Office of neighborhood health” to enhance social connectivity and reduce inequality.   FOR MORE INFORMATION: Pick up these books:  Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time by Seth Kaplan Pocket Guide to Facing Down a Civil War by John Paul Lederach

In this episode of Reimagining Us, co-hosts Nichole Argo and Scott Hutcheson delve deeper into the pervasive dynamics of toxic polarization, exploring how societal divisions manifest as "us versus them" thinking in our own lives and communities, and how awareness and intentionality enables us to counter it. They are joined by Dr. Peter Coleman, author of The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization and a renowned expert in conflict resolution. Peter opens with a Cherokee parable that highlights the agency each of us has in choosing to feed positivity or negativity within ourselves and our society. He notes, however, that our brains are wired to react to perceived threats, and this mechanism can be manipulated by actors employing zero-sum frames and extreme political rhetoric on social media and mainstream national news sources. But tribalism is not the only game in town! Peter highlights the growing movement of bridge-building initiatives across the U.S. and emphasizes that positive societal change will come from individual and community efforts to foster connection and mutual respect. He offers five actionable strategies for bridging differences in our own challenged relationships: (1) Reset; (2) Look for positives; (3) Complicate the narrative; (4) Move together; and (5) Adapt. Next, Stephen Hawkins, the Director of Research at More in Common, describes how two-thirds of Americans, the exhausted majority feel alienated by today’s polarization. While diverse politically, ideologically, and demographically, this group shares a desire for compromise and less adversarial politics. Stephen then introduces the perception gap—how Americans often misjudge the views of those across the political aisle, exaggerating their extremity. Politically engaged and highly educated individuals tend to have the most distorted perceptions— in part because they are more exposed to ideologically charged news and have limited cross-partisan relationships. Stephen notes that awareness of the perception gap can reduce polarization and build warmth across divides. He calls on listeners to take small but impactful steps, like: (1) consuming more diverse media, and intentionally seeking news from sources that challenge their own views, (2) sharing corrected perceptions of the “other team” within their trusted networks to break echo chambers, (3) starting curious conversations across differences, and (4) serving as bridge-builders in their communities. For more information or to share your stories and feedback, email info@togetherup.org, or comment on YouTube and Social Media @togetherupinstitute  Call to Action: In your own challenged relationships:  (1) Reset; (2) Look for positives; (3) Complicate the narrative; (4) Move together; (5) Adapt (listen to the interview for more detail) More broadly: Seek out diverse perspectives in your media consumption. Build relationships with people across divides. Share insights on the exhausted majority and the perception gap within your network, and correct misconceptions when you become aware of them. For more information:  Pick up Peter Coleman’s book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization Take the 30-day Polarization Detox Challenge, a partnership between Peter Coleman and Starts With Us  Check out just how much Americans have in common by exploring More in Common’s research: www.moreincommon.com.

On this episode of Reimagining Us, co hosts Nichole Argo and Scott Hutcheson have a conversation with Daniel Stid focused on toxic polarization and the importance of pluralism in countering it. In contrast to ideological polarization, where people disagree with each other but can still work together, toxic polarization refers to when people dislike and even dehumanize their political opponents, seeing each other as a threat not just to ideas but to their values, identities, and social groups. However, perceptions of the opponents and their views are often inaccurate. Toxic polarization leads to a breakdown of relationships and the contamination of various, non-political domains of life. Pluralism, on the other hand, involves recognizing and valuing the diversity of perspectives and working towards mutual understanding and accommodation. It requires virtues such as tolerance and reciprocity. Pluralism at the local level can be fostered through individual commitment, building relationships across differences, and investing in civic spaces and institutions. Daniel Stid is the Executive Director of Lyceum Labs, a nonprofit dedicated to reimagining the roles of political leaders and parties in the 21st century. He is a visiting fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, and his blog, the Art of Association explores the interplay between civil society and democracy in America. He is the author of The President As Statesman: Woodrow Wilson And The Constitution. In this episode, we also hear briefly from Peter Coleman and Stephen Hawkins, our primary guests in Episode 3. For more information or to share your stories and feedback, email info@togetherup.org, or comment on YouTube and Social Media @togetherupinstitute HOSTS: Nichole Argo is the Founder and Executive Director of TogetherUp Institute Scott Hutcheson is the Executive Director of E Pluribus Unum Produced by Next Chapter Podcasts

On the debut episode of Reimagining Us, Nichole and Scott share their personal stories, explain how they came together to cohost the show and relay their vision and the purpose for the series answering the question: 'Why this podcast, now?' Reimagining Us is not just another conversation series—it’s a vital tool for healing divisions, designing our lives and communities for belonging, and empowering a movement of “builders.” Hosted by two distinguished leaders from the fields of psychology and equity-building, the show takes a nuanced look at the forces that fuel division and highlights actionable paths toward reconnection. As the nation navigates a post-election landscape rife with challenges, Reimagining Us offers a timely and necessary space for discovery, dialogue, and change. Nichole Argo, Ph.D.: A behavioral scientist and Founder/Executive Director of the TogetherUp Institute, Nichole brings cutting-edge insights from the psychology of human conflict and connection to understand why we feel divided, and what we can do about it. Scott Hutcheson: Executive Director of E Pluribus Unum, Scott offers a wealth of experience addressing systemic inequities and fostering meaningful collaboration across race, class, and culture in the Deep South and beyond. As a region often at the epicenter of racial, political, and economic divides, the Deep South offers a powerful lens for exploring and addressing these issues nationwide. Together, Nichole and Scott create a dynamic, solutions-oriented conversation that engages listeners with authenticity, curiosity, and expertise. For more information or to share your stories and feedback, email info@togetherup.org, or comment on YouTube and Social Media @togetherupinstitute Reimagining Us is produced by Next Chapter Podcasts

Reimagining Us is a podcast series that "lifts the hood" to uncover what's behind our feelings of division today, identify how we can rebuild connection and collaboration across differences in communities. The show is hosted by behavioral scientist Nichole Argo, the Founder and Executive Director of the TogetherUp Institute & Scott Hutcheson, Executive Director of E Pluribus Unum. HOSTS: Nichole Argo is the Founder and Director of Research at TogetherUp Institute Scott Hutcheson is the Executive Director of E Pluribus Unum Produced by Next Chapter Podcasts